Ordering new cookbooks - poll
Posted by KendraKat on Jan 23, 2008 · Member since Nov 2006 · 287 posts
Amazon has Veganomicon for $16.50 right now (40% off). I am going to buy it this week but want to get free shipping so I need to buy another book to make my order total $25. Please vote for your 2 favorite books! I am even thinking about ordering Vegan Express even though it is not out yet because I have read good things about it. I really want books I am going to use though, not sit on the shelf and collect dust. Thanks for voting! ;D
go for for Nava Atlas's soups for all seasons book (the new edition-- its dairy free!) or Donna Klein's (spelling on her name?) Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen. I pull from those at least once a week. The Mediterranean book uses lots of fresh produce and delicious ingredients. mmmmm ;D
A big second for the Donna Klein book.
I have a bunch of others that aren't up there: the Arrowhead Mills cookbook (old), Millenium, Candle Cafe, 150 Vegan recipes by Jay Solomon, The Accidental Vegan . . . . all of them have good recipes.
But my very best vegan recipes come from books that aren't strictly vegan. Go figure.
Okay, my second pic (after Veganomicon, which doesn't need my props) was Vegan Planet, and here's why: it is a great cooking resource. i will be the first to admit that none of the recipes have enough seasoning, but the book is FULL of tips on how to cook various grains, beans and vegetables.
It also has a wide range of different foods and has been a pretty decent inspiration for new and fun recipes to add to my rotation.
Some of her recipes rely on specialty vegan products (like vegan cream cheese in cheesecakes) but there are a lot of really great meals that don't rely on anything weird/specialty vegan substitutions.
As far as cookbooks go, I turn to Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance the most, but I tend to look up a lot of things in Vegan Planet.
My Sweet Vegan and Eat Drink & Be Vegan for sure! EDBV has filled my everyday meal void, while MSV is fun to cook a different sweet from every few days for a treat. I like that it isn't just cupcakes or just cookies.
Okay, my second pic (after Veganomicon, which doesn't need my props) was Vegan Planet, and here's why: it is a great cooking resource. i will be the first to admit that none of the recipes have enough seasoning, but the book is FULL of tips on how to cook various grains, beans and vegetables.
It also has a wide range of different foods and has been a pretty decent inspiration for new and fun recipes to add to my rotation.
Some of her recipes rely on specialty vegan products (like vegan cream cheese in cheesecakes) but there are a lot of really great meals that don't rely on anything weird/specialty vegan substitutions.
As far as cookbooks go, I turn to Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance the most, but I tend to look up a lot of things in Vegan Planet.
I agree.
I third the vote for Donna Klein! I have her Italian and Mediterranean cookbooks and I like them because I can hand one to ane omni, tell them to pick something they want, and they won't have to ask what any of the ingredients are.
Vegan Planet rocks because it has a dish for practically every kind of vegetable/grain/legume out there.
The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein
one of Bryanna Clark Grogan's cookbooks
"How It all Vegan" and "The Joy of Vegan Baking" is a close second.
VEGAN CUPCAKES TAKE OVER THE WORLD
It's tiny too.
My favorite is Lorna Sass' Complete Vegetarian Kitchen (previously published under the title Recipes From an Ecological Kitchen). Despite the title it is vegan.
Reasons I love it:
1) Whole, unprocessed foods
2) Largely healthy
3) Directions for pressure and stove top cooking in applicable recipes
4) Good commentary and cooking tips (bean/grain/vegetable cooking charts--pressure and stovetop)
5) Most everything I've made is delicious
6) 250 + recipes from different regional cuisines
The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen has been on my wishlist a long time--it seems like one I'd like but haven't gotten around to purchasing.
I love Vegan Planet because it has a ton of a recipes, and a pretty wide variety of styles and flavors. My second vote goes to Joy of Vegan Baking...yeah, not very healthy, but everything I've made so far has been so incredibly delicious. Robin Robertson (author of Vegan Planet) has several other books that I haven't tried, so they might be worth checking out too. Good luck deciding!
VEGAN CUPCAKES TAKE OVER THE WORLD
gee - I was surprised this one wasn't in the poll. it won't serve you dinner, but sometimes it's best to skip the main meal and go straight to dessert...
can you tell that I heart Isa? (Terry's awesome too, but Isa is my hero) :)>>>
Oh whoops. I voted for VWAV and Vegan Planet, since I thought you meant in addition to Veganomicon. I personally would get VCON and Vegan Planet, because when it comes to cookbooks, size matters.
OK sorry for not including VCTOTW! I am not so much a baker, and on the rare occasion I do bake I come to VegWeb for inspiration... I should have been specific - I am looking for cookbooks with meals, not just desserts! (I did check out The Joy of Vegan Baking from the library last week just to read it and it looked SWEET... if only I baked...) Ok keep the votes coming kids!
When you decide, you have to tell us what you got! Maybe go to the library and peruse all the suggestions at once!
OK....shameless plug, but I have been slaving over my own cookbook for the past year, and it is FINALLY about 95% done! It should be ready by early spring. Over 200 delectable, tried and true vegan yummy recipes.
Aside from my recipes, I don't have a favorite cookbook, although I have heard Veganomicon is quite good.
Anyone have any tips on things you all would like to see in a cookbook that you haven't seen before????
If so, let me know before I am finished....
:)
:)>>>
OK....shameless plug, but I have been slaving over my own cookbook for the past year, and it is FINALLY about 95% done! It should be ready by early spring. Over 200 delectable, tried and true vegan yummy recipes.
Aside from my recipes, I don't have a favorite cookbook, although I have heard Veganomicon is quite good.
Anyone have any tips on things you all would like to see in a cookbook that you haven't seen before????
If so, let me know before I am finished....
:)
:)>>>
I don't really have any tips on what I haven't seen before but I HIGHLY reccomend lots of photos. I LOVE seeing the pictures of what I'm about to make! Good luck with it all by the way! :)
OK....shameless plug, but I have been slaving over my own cookbook for the past year, and it is FINALLY about 95% done! It should be ready by early spring. Over 200 delectable, tried and true vegan yummy recipes.
Aside from my recipes, I don't have a favorite cookbook, although I have heard Veganomicon is quite good.
Anyone have any tips on things you all would like to see in a cookbook that you haven't seen before????
If so, let me know before I am finished....
:)
:)>>>
That's so cool! Congrats!
Umm, I really like when recipes have an "approximate prep time". Like, when I look through a cookbook for inspiration, I look at a recipe name, look at ingredients, then see *about* how long the whole thing'll take. I hatehatehate having to read through all of the directions to figure out the timing.
maybe include nutritional info? that's helpful for a lot of people (myself included).
and I second the pictures! mouthwatering pics make a HUGE difference.
I love cook book purchasing! I read em like a novel.
I fifth Donna Klein's Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen and I also like "Skinny Bitches in the Kitch". I just got a vegan Japanese cookbook, which I've skimmed through but not made anything from ::)
Although not strictly vegan, I've also just purchased a book by Madhar Jaffries (sp?) of veggie recipes from around the world, which is an A-Z of of fabulous veggies.
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